Separate Paths
by JackieHyde
Summary: Will a malicious lie and a huge misunderstanding tear Jackie and Hyde apart forever? Please read and review. Thanks! Completed, but sequel coming soon......
1. Default Chapter

Disclaimer: I do not own That 70'S Show or any of it characters. I am just a fan with no money.  
  
This idea came to me while I was at work today. Bear with me kids. It ended up a lot longer than I initially thought. I though by the time I got most of this down on paper I'd be a lot further along in the story but didn't get past the prologue. Will add much more later.  
  
Prologue: Sept 1981  
  
Jackie Burkhardt had just started her sophomore year at college. She and Hyde had been living together for nearly a year. Shockingly enough Hyde had proposed to her only 3 weeks ago. She was so excited. They were talking about possibly getting married around Christmas time. Hyde had recently started his own automotive repair garage. He had always been good at fixing cars so he figured why not make money from it.  
  
Everything seemed to be going great for them. That is until Michael Kelso found out about their engagement. At first glance he appeared to accept it but secretly he was fuming about it. He had concocted a rather underhanded plan. Michael Kelso had never given up on the idea that eventually he and Jackie would get back together. He figured it was only a matter of time before she and Hyde went their separate ways. The news of the engagement shattered that illusion rather rudely. He was bound and determined if he couldn't have Jackie then neither could Hyde. For Jackie's birthday earlier that year Hyde had gotten Jackie a beautiful emerald diamond set of earrings. Jackie loved them and wore them with everything, nearly everyday. She was so proud that her "Steven" had such great taste. All of sudden one of the earring became missing. Jackie searched every nook and cranny. The missing earring was no where to be seen. She didn't tell Hyde she had lost it. She was worried he would be angry with her for losing it. She didn't know how she could have lost it though. The last time she had seen it had been in her jewelry box. After a few weeks Hyde noticed that she wasn't wearing them anymore. He asked her why. She said that she had just been wearing another pair lately just for a change but she would start wearing them again soon (as soon as she found them that is). Hyde accepted her explanation and never gave it a second thought. Though unbeknownst to either of them Kelso knew where Hyde and Jackie kept their spare house key and while both were at work and school let himself in and took the earring and a pair of Jackie's underwear.  
  
Kelso arranged for Hyde to be at his apartment one night and left the earring laying out where Hyde would see it. Plus he had a pair of her underwear stashed under his couch. He felt Hyde wouldn't believe the underwear by itself so he needed another damning piece of evidence. He felt the earring was the perfect finishing touch. How would it have gotten in his apartment unless Jackie had been there? Of course Jackie had never been in his apartment but Hyde didn't need to know that did he? So the plan was in motion.  
  
Hyde arrived at Kelso's apartment thinking that they were going to go to a bar where they were having nickel draft night. Jackie had class that night so he figured he might as well go out and have some fun. He sat down on the couch while Kelso was fixing him a drink before they went out. Secretly Kelso was in his kitchen watching and waiting for Hyde to notice the earring. In was in plain sight. Hyde noticed it almost immediately. The moment he saw it his heart dropped into his stomach. He couldn't believe his eyes. But there was no mistaking it, it was Jackie's earring. The earrings she hadn't been wearing lately. Now he knew it was because she lost it at Kelso's apartment.  
  
His mind went through a thousand different emotions. Rage, disbelief, hurt, bewilderment, and then finally acceptance. In the back of his mind he was always afraid Jackie and Kelso would somehow find their way back into each others arms. The last year or so those thoughts had faded and he almost never though about it. He had finally felt confident that Jackie had chosen him. He loved her so much he couldn't even begin to put it into words. He was still bad at telling her but she seemed to understand him like no one else ever had. Sometimes he couldn't believe how patient she was with his him and his hang-ups. So after nearly a year of living together without any major blow ups he figured why not put his money where his mouth was and finally prove to Jackie that he wanted a future with her. She said yes of course, instantly dissolving into a pool of happy tears. She was filled with ideas and plans on how life was going to work out for them. Picture perfect of course.  
  
Hyde called Kelso to come back into the living room.  
  
He held up the earring for Kelso to see "Kelso, you better have a very good explanation why this is in your apartment!"  
  
"Dude, don't worry, it didn't mean anything. It was just one last fling before you guys tie the knot."  
  
Hyde stared at him, trying to read his expression. Kelso wasn't giving anything away. Hyde suddenly felt like this didn't add up right. When would Kelso and Jackie even have had a chance to be together? When she wasn't in class she was with him. "Kelso, wrong answer. You better tell me the truth now!"  
  
"Hyde, I'm sorry if the truth hurts but me and Jackie did it one last time. It didn't mean anything so you have nothing to worry about."  
  
"She wouldn't do that. She loves me, not you. You're lying. You'd better tell me the truth now before I beat you to a bloody pulp."  
  
"Hyde, then how do I have these?" Kelso pulled Jackie's underwear out from under the couch. Hyde's eyes about bulged out of his head when he saw them. He recognized them right way. It was one of his favorite pairs. They were definitely Jackie's. With that last piece of evidence Hyde accepted defeat. He took the earring and grabbed the underwear out of Kelso's hand and stormed out. Kelso sat down on his couch in shock that his plan had actually worked. After all over the last few years he'd had many hair brained schemes to get Jackie back and none had ever worked. He didn't understand why the victory he wanted for so long felt so wrong.  
  
Hyde went home to wait for Jackie. As soon as she got home he was going to confront her with evidence of her infidelity. Surely she couldn't lie her way out of this one. To think he had been willing to marry the lying, cheating, manipulative slut. Just the thought of her with Kelso made him want to die. He felt sick. This couldn't be happening. But it was.  
  
Jackie arrived home a little after 9pm.  
  
She set her books down on the dining room table and walked into the living room to find Hyde sitting on the couch with his head in his hands. Something was wrong. Suddenly she had feeling that the bottom was about to drop out of her life.  
  
"Steven, what's wrong?" asked Jackie, concerned about what could have him acting like this.  
  
"What's wrong? What's wrong?" he repeated incredulously and angrily. "Jackie, look what I found!"  
  
He showed her the missing earring she had been missing for weeks. "Oh Steven, you found it!"  
  
"Ya, I found it all right. Though you told me that you just hadn't been wearing them. You didn't bother to tell me that you lost it at your lover's apartment."  
  
"My lover? What the hell are you talking about Steven?" Jackie was getting very scared. She had no idea where he was going with this or what he was talking about.  
  
"Or do you mean which one? How about I make it easy for you and just tell you where I found it." He paused for a moment staring at her bewildered expression. "I found it at Kelso's."  
  
"Steven, I've never even been over to his apartment before. I swear to God I've not been with anyone but you the whole time we've been together. You've got to believe me. I love you. I would never do that to you and you know it." Tears started to run down her cheeks. She felt like she was in the middle of nightmare and she would wake up any moment.  
  
Though by this point Hyde wasn't listening. The evidence though circumstantial was too damning. He took the underwear out of his pocket and shoved it in her face. "You love me? You love me? Then why the FUCK was your underwear under his couch! Was it good?! One last fuck before you settled for second best?! Come on lie to me! Tell me these aren't yours! What's the matter, can't think up a lie fast enough?" taunted Hyde.  
  
Jackie was staring at the underwear in complete shock and disbelief. It was definitely her underwear. But how it ended up in Michael's apartment she hadn't a clue. "Steven, I swear to you. I promise you, I have never been with Michael since we've been together. I have never even been to his apartment. Please believe me!"  
  
He stared at her for what seemed like an eternity, just shaking his head. "Believe you? I knew this would happen. I knew it! But I fooled myself into believing what we had was real. But its all a bunch of crap isn't it! I was so stupid to believe that a shallow, selfish, spoiled, stupid SLUT like you could change! You haven't changed. You're still the same space cadet who can't stay away from Kelso, the love of your pathetic life. So I hope you two will be happy together!"  
  
Jackie continued to stare at him. By this time she was crying with huge racking sobs. "Steven, I didn't sleep with him. I don't want him, I only want you. Please Steven! I love you." She reached for his arm but he jerked away as if her touch burned him.  
  
"Don't touch me. I'm leaving but when I come back you'd better be gone. And I mean gone for good."  
  
"Steven, you don't mean that. Please! Steven, I swear to you. I didn't sleep with him. I didn't!" She sank to the floor, crying to the point that her words were no longer even understandable. He turned his back and went out the front door, nearly slamming it off its hinges.  
  
SEVERAL HOURS LATER...  
  
Hyde had been drowning his sorrows at a tavern close to his Garage. He drank beer after beer. So that was it, it was finally over. He'd lost her. Lost her to Kelso. He didn't know which was worse. Suddenly his stupor was interrupted by Kelso sitting on a bar stool right next to him. He looked up and couldn't believe it.  
  
"Get out of here Kelso. If you value your life at all you will get out of my face right now!!" said Hyde who was shaking with rage.  
  
Kelso was very visibly frightened of Hyde in his present state of mind but decided he just had to get this over with. He would come clean. After Hyde had left he had decided that he couldn't do this to Jackie and he couldn't do it to Hyde. No matter how bad he wanted her back. It had come to him as a big shock that the ends didn't justify the means after all.  
  
"Hyde, I made it all up. It never happened. When I heard you guys got engaged I couldn't take it. So I decided I had to stop you from getting married. So I took your spare key and stole the earring out of Jackie's jewelry box and took a pair of her underwear." said Kelso while staring at the floor instead of Hyde's disbelieving face.  
  
"You what?! You mother fucking bastard! How could you do that to me?! How could you do that to Jackie?! You son of a fucking bitch! I'm going to rip your head off!  
  
Hyde lunged for Kelso and started punching him in the stomach, in the face, where ever he could reach. Some one in the bar pulled them apart. Hyde was held back by an older muscular man. Hyde stared at Kelso with murder in his eyes. Suddenly all the horrible things he's said to Jackie came streaming back to him. He had to get back to their apartment and put this misunderstanding to rest. He pulled out of the grasp of the man holding him back from Kelso and ran out the front door of the bar.  
  
MEANWHILE..  
  
After about ten minutes of crying her eyes out Jackie felt a wave of calm wash over her. He didn't trust her. That was evident. In the back of her mind she guessed she'd always know that. Ever since the "Get off my boyfriend" fiasco it had always been there. Not talked about, ignored, and pushed aside. But it was there just the same. She was filled with anger. The names he called her came racing back to her.  
  
SHALLOW, SELFISH, STUPID, SPOILED, SLUT.  
  
Those words echoed in her mind over and over again. So that's what he thought of her. At least she knew now before it was too late. She'd called Donna while she was still hysterically crying and told her the whole sordid mess. Donna couldn't understand half of what Jackie had tried to tell her but she got the gist of the situation and she was on her way. Jackie was packing all her belongings up in boxes and whatever suitcases, and bags she could find. Finally she heard loud knocking downstairs. She went downstairs to let Donna in. She immediately threw her arms around Donna and sobbed her heart out. After she calmed down Donna began helping her pack her stuff and they were putting everything they could fit into both Jackie and Donna's cars. Finally everything was pretty much packed. The rest he could throw away as far as she was concerned. Jackie and Donna were in her bedroom giving everything one last look over to make sure she got everything important. Suddenly Jackie remembered the engagement ring on her finger. She paused for a moment but then finally found the strength to take it off. She grabbed an envelope off the desk and sealed it and just simple wrote on the front Steven and laid it on his pillow on their bed.  
  
Donna watched this scene with great sadness. She knew with 100% certainty that Jackie would never sleep with Kelso and had been completely faithful to Hyde the entire time they'd been together and couldn't for the life of her fathom why Hyde didn't know it himself. She and Jackie headed back downstairs only to find Hyde coming through the front door.  
  
He stared at Jackie for several moments. He was afraid of saying the wrong thing. As if things could get any worse. He already noticed all of Jackie's things missing all of over the apartment, which was practically everything. Plus he'd noticed Donna and Jackie's cars overloaded with boxes and bags.  
  
"Jackie, I'm so sorry. Kelso told me the truth. I know you didn't sleep with him."  
  
Jackie remained stoic and slowly shook her head "You know huh. Well, that's big of you. Thanks for taking my word for it. I really appreciate it. You'll never know how much that means to me. If you don't mind the selfish, spoiled, shallow, spoiled slut was about to remove herself from here just as you requested. Come on Donna, lets go."  
  
Hyde reached out her arm to stop her from leaving. "Jackie, come on, please don't leave. I'm sorry. I was upset. I love you. It was just a big misunderstand but we can just forget this whole thing ever happened." he said pleadingly.  
  
She jerked his hand off of her arm. "Forget it ever happened? Maybe you can but I can't! You don't trust me! You apparently never have! There's nothing left worth saving. We're done!"  
  
"No we're not"  
  
"Steven, We are over!" yelled Jackie.  
  
"No we're not Jackie"  
  
She looked him directly in the eyes and said "Steven, we're so over, we need a new word for over" and turned and went out the door with Donna following closely behind. 


	2. Chapter 2

That first night after Jackie left her and Hyde's house was a complete blur. She could barely remember how she got from one place to the next. The next few days after that were pretty much the same. She walked around her parent's house like a zombie. Her parents' house was still empty of course but it was the only place she had left to go to. She felt so empty inside. She was finally numb from crying for several days straight. Donna had tried to comfort her but she had been inconsolable. Hyde had tried to find her but Donna covered for her and said she didn't know where she was after she dropped her off at a friend's house. Jackie just wanted to put the memory of that terrible night behind her.  
  
She'd already made a major decision about the direction of her life. She was going to transfer colleges. Her Uncle was a professor at Northwestern University in Chicago. He had pulled a few strings for her and got her transferred. Luckily the Fall semester had just started a few weeks ago so she would get in just under the wire. She was going to enroll in the nursing program. Steven's apparent feelings about her character left a lasting mark on her. He considered her to be stupid, shallow, and selfish among other unpleasant things. She was going to prove them all wrong. She had tried so hard to be a better person, the person Steven wanted her to be, but apparently it hadn't been enough. She knew the classes would be hard and eventually it would be gross but she would just have to get over her squeamishness. She wanted to prove that she was better than everybody thought she was. She also wanted to prove to herself that she wasn't the pampered princess she was known for being. Things were going to change.  
  
A few days after her and Steven's breakup Donna helped her load all her belongings into a rented U-Haul truck. Donna had tried to no avail to talk her out of making this drastic change but once Jackie had made up her mind nothing could change it. They tearfully hugged each other goodbye. Jackie assured Donna that she would be alright and they would keep in touch. She made Donna swear not to tell Steven where she had gone and Donna had reluctantly agreed to keep that and a few other pieces of information secret.  
  
Northwestern University was a very hard school. Jackie had to study practically every waking moment to keep up with her classes. She kept pretty much to herself and didn't have but a few acquaintances. She was living with her Aunt and Uncle in Evanston. They lived only a few blocks from the campus which was very convenient.  
  
To her great surprise Jackie was doing very well in her classes and her clinicals. Since she spent practically all her time studying to keep up with her classes time seemed to fly by in blink of an eye. Before she knew it a year had passed, than another year, and then another year.  
  
Because of summer school she was able to graduate from her nursing program on time. She was now a R.N.(registered nurse). She immediately got a job at a Chicago Hospital, Mercy Memorial, working in the emergency room. It was very stressful yet rewarding. She worked so many hours she didn't have time for a social life. Never in her wildest dreams had she imagined that she would have become a nurse let alone one of the best ones in the E.R. Her bossiness led her to a supervisory job almost right away. The hospital had such a huge turnover she had a lot of seniority after only a year. Also she was one of a handful of nurses with a 4 year degree. Most of the nurses seemed to dislike her. The doctors were always trying to get her to date them or have affairs with them. She had been living like a nun for a very long time. Donna had come down a few times to visit her and was very shocked at how much Jackie had changed. Jackie had become very quiet and withdrawn as compared to her old self. Donna tried to talk to her about Steven but Jackie refused to hear one word about him. That chapter of her life was over and she didn't want to re-open it and dredge up old wounds, wounds that just barely begun to heal.  
  
During Jackie's second year of working at Mercy Memorial a new Dr. came on staff. His name was Dr. Aaron Chandler and he was handsome and very charming. He pursued Jackie relentlessly. She made a zillion excuses why she couldn't go out with him but he never gave up. Finally after about six months of this she gave in and agreed to go on a date with him. To her great surprise they got along very well and had a lot in common. He seemed to be very kind, sweet, and funny. He was from a good family, had his own house, no children, and had never been married. After 8 months of dating he asked Jackie to marry him. Jackie didn't know what to say. She told him she would have to think it over. She loved him but she wasn't in love with him. After all that she'd been through in the past she knew the difference.  
  
Jackie was also preoccupied with other matters. Donna and Eric's wedding was the very next weekend and she knew that she would have to walk down the aisle with Steven since he was the best man and she was the maid of honor. She tried to convince Donna that she should have one of her sisters be the maid of honor but she wouldn't hear of it. Finally Jackie realized that despite her strong feeling against seeing or even being in the same room with Steven would have to take a back seat to Donna's preferences for her wedding. This wedding would be the test whether or not she was over him. She was fairly confident that after all this time and since they had both moved on with their lives they could be adults about this and put the past behind them if only for a weekend.  
  
She arrived at Donna's house the morning of the wedding and helped her get ready. She was probably more nervous than Donna was though she told Donna it didn't bother in the least. Donna, however, could see through the act rather easily. Donna knew for a fact Hyde was just as nervous about seeing Jackie.  
  
Hyde had never really moved on. He hadn't allowed himself to. After Jackie had left he'd thrown himself into building his business. For the first few months though he'd been on a 24-7 drinking binge. Finally Donna, Eric, and Fez had made him stop it. They sobered him up and gave him a talking to that he didn't soon forget.  
  
He never dated anyone seriously, just had the occasional one night stand. The walls that Jackie had broken down during their time together had gone back even stronger and higher than ever before. He wouldn't allow anyone to get close to him again. His and Donna's friendship and been under a great deal of strain ever since Jackie had left. He felt her looks of condemnation when ever she thought he wasn't looking. Donna had a lot of animosity towards him for some reason that he didn't quite understand or could put his finger on. He'd tried to ask her about it a few times but had gotten nowhere.  
  
The moment he saw Jackie at the wedding he suddenly couldn't breathe. All the old feelings came flooding back. She had changed so much. She was even more beautiful, if that was even possible. She had a confident, take- charge air about her. He knew that she was a nurse now and could hardly believe it but now seeing her he believed it. She would barely look him in the eye and gave him a cold "Hello Steven, how are you?"  
  
He returned the same greeting just as coldly. He walked her down the aisle and they took their places for the ceremony. The ceremony was very beautiful and Donna and Eric were the happiest he had ever seen them. Last night Eric and told him that Donna had told him Jackie's Dr. boyfriend had proposed marriage to her. He told Eric it was no big deal and he wished her luck but on the inside it was like someone took a sledge hammer to his heart. During the ceremony he'd glanced over at her left hand and it was still bare, apparently she hadn't said yes yet. For some odd reason he felt a feeling of relief but quickly pushed that thought aside.  
  
Right before the reception began he saw Jackie talking to Donna and Eric. He made out bits and pieces of the conversation. She wasn't going to stay for the reception. She was making some lame excuse that she had to pull an early shift in the morning and had to head home. Jackie gave both Donna and Eric a hug and apologized for her leaving early but the minute she started to head for the door to leave he saw the look of relief on her face. When he had walked her down the aisle he could have sworn she was shaking. He knew with absolute certainty she was leaving early because of him. Part of him was pleased that he still had this effect on her. He stood at the church window and watched her walk out to her car. The minute she got in she put her head down on the steering wheel and cried huge racking sobs. After a few minutes she took off like a race car driver at the Indy 500. Someone wasn't nearly as over the past as she pretended.  
  
The whole drive home from the wedding Jackie scolded herself for being weak. It had been almost 5 years for God sake. How could he still have this power over her. The minute she saw him it was like time had stood still and nothing had changed. All the old feelings came back like they had never left. The ceremony seemed to last an eternity to her. She felt like a convict planning her escape. As soon as the ceremony ended she made her excuses to Eric and Donna and got the hell out of dodge before she fell apart. And fall apart she did the minute she got in her car, at least no one had seen that. During the drive home she had decided that she would accept Aaron's proposal of marriage. She would have to force herself to move on. She couldn't pine for Steven if she was married to another man, could she? No, she couldn't. She refused to be that weak.  
  
She told Aaron that night that she would marry him and he was thrilled. They were going to be married in six months. He gave her a beautiful 1-1/2 carat diamond. She was supposed to be thrilled but all she felt was numb. She enjoyed their sex life but Jackie just didn't feel connected to him. It just didn't feel right, something was missing but she didn't know what. Their engagement was announced at work and everybody seemed to be happy for them. Jackie had a deep foreboding feeling but didn't know why. A month after their engagement was announcement the reason made itself know.  
  
It had been a normal hectic 12 hour day at work. She went to Aaron's house and let herself in with the key he had given her. She walked upstairs and heard music and laughter. She opened the bedroom door and found him in bed with another nurse that also worked in the E.R. He was very smug about it and acted like it was no big deal. Jackie completely lost it and hit him repeatedly and gave him a black eye. The bimbo called the cops and Jackie was arrested for battery. Aaron didn't press charges because he didn't want word to get out he got beat up by a woman.  
  
He, however, got even another way. He went to the hospital board and told them of her violent tendencies and they told her that if she went peacefully they would arrange a transfer for her to another hospital. She agreed, feeling like she didn't have any other choice. Jackie's mother had cancer and was living in Point Place. The hospital arranged for Jackie to be transferred to the largest hospital in Kenosha. She was finally going home after nearly six years and she was a bit relieved. It was time to stop running away.  
  
She moved back into her parents' home and arranged for hospice to take care of her mother when she had to be at work. Her mother was terminal and wasn't expected to last much longer. Jackie's new position was head nurse of the E.R. Immediately the other nurses took a disliking to her. They resented her position and education.  
  
Somehow word of what happened with her and Aaron leaked to someone at work and rumors spread like wildfire. The nurses already hated her so they just added a new nickname to the others she was already being called. They called her Rocky, Ice Bitch, and "Stick up her ass". Of course being the unoriginal cows that they were the Rocky nickname of course was because of her hitting her former fiancé. Jackie ignored the name calling and did her job.  
  
It was just another night in the E.R. Jackie was stitching up a man who fell off his motorcycle while her co-worker was trying to resuscitate a man who had had a heart attack. When she finished stitching the man up she escorted him back to the lobby and gave him his care instructions and his prescriptions that needed to be filled. To her great surprise the man's friend that was waiting for him was Steven. And he was staring at her, just as shocked as she was.  
  
***Please Review, Thanks!*** 


	3. Chapter 3

Jackie stared back into Steven's eyes, the same blue eyes she used to get lost in, unable to breathe or move a muscle. Finally her trance was interrupted by her patient.  
  
"So nurse, I come back in next week to have the stitches removed?  
  
"What?, Oh yes. That's right. You can just sign in at the front desk; either I or one of the other nurses on duty will remove them for you. Nothing to it. Just be sure you pick up your prescription tonight and start the medication but remember you need to take it on an empty stomach. Ok? You can call if you have any problems." Jackie started to walk away, avoiding Steven's gaze.  
  
Jackie walked over to their filing area where all the patient charts were kept to pull the next patient's chart that she was to see. She glanced over to see Steven talking to his friend. His friend (her patient) walked out the front doors and Steven began walking towards her.  
  
"So Jackie, you can't even say hi to me?" said Hyde with sadness in his eyes.  
  
"Sorry Steven, I just don't know what to say to you. If you'll excuse me I have another patient to see." Jackie nervously replied, whose heart was beating so fast she thought it would burst out of her chest. As she started to walk away he grabbed her arm.  
  
"Steven? What do you want from me? I have nothing to say to you."  
  
Hyde angrily replied "Don't give me that bullshit! I think we have a lot to say to each other!" He paused for a minute trying to calm himself down. "Donna told me you were back but I didn't know which hospital. She also told me about your Mom. I'm sorry Jackie."  
  
"Look Steven, I have a lot of work to do. Why do you want to rehash ancient history anyway?"  
  
"Jackie, I let you walk away from me six years ago without a fight. I'm not going to leave you alone just because you don't want to face it. You're back now and it's about time we settled things between us once and for all."  
  
"Steven, I hate to be the one to tell you this but there is nothing between us to settle." said Jackie, avoiding Hyde's gaze.  
  
Suddenly another nurse interrupted them. "Jackie, you've got a patient in exam room 3."  
  
"I'll be right there." Jackie looked at Hyde, shifting uncomfortably. "Look, like I told you I have a patient to see so I'm sure you know your way out." said Jackie nervously, feeling like a cornered rabbit.  
  
She walked back over to the filing area, grabbed her patient's chart and walked into the exam room leaving Hyde staring after her. After a brief examination and evaluation of her patient Jackie went back out to check the patient board and discovered to her relief Steven was gone.  
  
Hyde took his friend Jim home after Jackie went in to see her other patient. As soon as he got in the car Jim had a thousand questions for him.  
  
"Who was that Nurse Hyde, you know her?"  
  
"Ya, you could say that." said Hyde bitterly.  
  
"Dude, her name tag said Jacqueline Burkhardt, R.N. Is that the infamous Jackie?"  
  
"Yes"  
  
"Damn, Dude she is hot! I'll have to start falling off motorcycles more often."  
  
"You stay the hell away from her!" Hyde demanded. He quietly stared ahead for a few minutes before finally saying "I'd better get you home now. No, wait, we have to go pick up your prescription first. Shit!"  
  
"Look, Hyde, I'm sorry. I though that she was ancient history and that you were over her a long time ago, but the way you're getting all nuts about one little joke makes me think you're far from being over her." said Jim as he stared at his normally cool, collected friend.  
  
Hyde didn't respond to Jim's observation. Instead he just drove to the pharmacy and then drove his friend straight home without saying 3 words to Jim the rest of the night. His mind was elsewhere. The last thing he had expected when he took Jim to the hospital was to run into the ex love of his life. Who the hell was he kidding? He swallowed the lump in his throat and finally admitted to himself what he'd known deep down for a really long time. He was still in love with Jackie.  
  
When he heard that Jackie got engaged to that Doctor down in Chicago he went on a three day drinking binge. When he heard they weren't getting married it was the happiest he'd been since she left him. Why the hell couldn't he get her out of his head? He tried and tried. Nothing worked. He ridiculed himself for being so pathetic. Even now, six years later, when ever he slept with another woman he always fantasized it was Jackie.  
  
Hyde suddenly realized the only cure for his illness was to get her back. He wasn't going to give up until she was his again. He knew with absolute certainty that she wasn't going to make it easy for him. He knew he should be heading home to get to bed early so that he could open his shop in the morning but for some reason he couldn't stop himself from heading back over to the hospital.  
  
As usual Jackie was stuck working the graveyard shift because two nurses called in sick. The E.R had finally slowed down to a crawl and she was sitting in the nurses' lounge drinking coffee to keep awake. She decided she would go back out and finish the filing since their filing clerk quit on them earlier that day. She started on the first stack of charts and had most of them put away when she heard someone clear their throat. She turned around and it was Steven.  
  
Jackie jumped about a foot in the air and dropped the charts in her arms. "God Damn it Steven! What the hell do you think you're doing sneaking up on me like that?"  
  
He just stood there and gave his famous smirk. "Sorry Jackie, I didn't know you were so jumpy."  
  
"Steven, what are you doing here?" asked Jackie, whose nerves were already shot from their earlier confrontation.  
  
"You know, I'd like to know that myself. I guess some things never change. I can't stay the hell away from you even when I know that I should." said Hyde while staring at her intensely. "What time do you get off work?"  
  
"What time I get off work is no concern of yours." She started to walk back into the nurses' lounge but he moved to stand in her way.  
  
"Steven, Get out of my way!"  
  
"No"  
  
She tried to step to the side of him but he got right back in her face and pulled her to him and kissed her long and hard. When he finally broke the kiss she felt like she was going to faint. If you asked her what her name was at the moment she probably wouldn't have been able to tell you.  
  
He stared into her eyes with a triumphant expression which made her want to scream. God damn that man and his kisses. He knew how to fight dirty. "Steven, will you please go." requested Jackie angrily.  
  
"Fine, I'll go. But know this. I'm not going to leave you alone and you're going to have to face up to the fact that no matter how much you pretend we still want each other."  
  
"Get over yourself. You may want me but I certainly don't want you." said Jackie unconvincingly.  
  
"Liar!" And he proceeded to demonstrate his point once again. He put his hands on both sides of her face and kissed her deeply and drove his tongue into her mouth. Second later she responded to the kiss just as ardently. Minutes later he broke the kiss and walked away, leaving her staring after him astonished. She walked back into the lounge and poured herself another cup of coffee but ended up spilling it because her hands were shaking. She thought to herself "Why the hell can't he just leave me alone. My life is already a mess, I don't need him making it 10 time more complicated. And why the hell does he have to be such a damn good kisser."  
  
DAYS LATER  
  
Jackie's mother finally died in her sleep a few nights after her confrontation with Steven. She made all the arrangements for the visitation and funeral by herself. Her mother had very few friends left and her mother's mind had been so bad in the end she didn't even know who Jackie was most of the time. Jackie was numb and hadn't really cried yet. She and her mother hadn't been close since she was a small child. It was hard grieving for a woman who had considered her to be a burden she had to endure.  
  
The night of the visitation about 75 people showed up to pay their last respects. Donna and Eric were standing with her as she greeted and shook hands with the mourners. Jackie was talking to her Aunt when all of sudden someone tapped her on the shoulder. She turned around and it was Steven. Instead of saying a word he just pulled her into his arms and hugged her tightly. The strange thing was it felt like the most natural thing in the world. He broke the embrace and turned around and nonchalantly starting talking to Eric and Donna who were puzzled to say the least. They knew very well Hyde was still in love with Jackie but it wasn't like him to be this expressive with his feelings.  
  
Hours later after everyone had left Hyde still remained with Eric and Donna. Finally Eric and Donna excused themselves realizing Hyde wanted to be alone with Jackie. Jackie was filled with a lot of conflicting feelings. She was sad, afraid, confused, angry, but most of all she felt more alone than she ever had in her entire life. Even her father didn't show up for the funeral. After her mother divorced him he had been heartbroken and washed his hands of her completely. She could count on one hand how many times she'd seen her father in the last 5 years since he'd been released from prison.  
  
Hyde could see the turmoil in her eyes and was amazed that after all this time he could still read her like a book. He pulled her into a hug and she held on to him for dear life and cried and cried until there was nothing left while he just held her patiently and stroked her hair.  
  
****Please read and review. Your reviews inspire me to write faster. Thanks!**** 


	4. Chapter 4

The week following Jackie's mother's funeral was a very busy one. She was still tying up loose ends with her mother's attorney regarding probate and moving into the house she bought shortly after she came back to town. At first Jackie thought she would be able to live at her parent's house but she needed a place that was all hers with no bad memories attached to it. Jackie had managed to get two weeks off from her job which gave her a much needed chance to get her head together.  
  
She hadn't seen Steven since the funeral, during which he had been by her side the entire time. After she had broken down in his arms the night of the visitation it had felt like a heavy weight was taken off her shoulders. They didn't discuss the past mainly due to it wasn't the time or place but it was also kind of like both of them were afraid of really delving into it. It was the proverbial can of worms. Jackie was relieved he hadn't pressed her about getting into their former relationship. She wanted to just let sleeping dogs lie. After all there were some things she felt would benefit no one if brought up or learned about. She just hoped Donna had still kept her promise. As far as she knew she had.  
  
Jackie was just beginning to get her kitchen in some semblance of order when the doorbell rang. Boxes were stacked everywhere and it was like walking through a maze getting to the front door. She was wearing shorts and a T-shirt and her hair was in a pony tail, an attire that was very un- Jackie like but moving and unpacking was dirty work. She opened the door baffled who it could be. Only Eric and Donna knew where she lived. She opened the door to find Hyde anxiously pacing on her door step.  
  
"Steven, hi, what are you doing here?" asked Jackie as she nervously pulled some loose strands of hair out of her eyes.  
  
"Well, I thought I'd see how you're getting along at your new place. Forman told me you bought a new place last night so I thought I'd check up on you and see how you're doing. Can I come in?"  
  
"Sure, why not" replied Jackie reluctantly.  
  
Hyde stepped into the house and Jackie led him into the kitchen where she had been working. "Wow, nice place you got here Jackie. Big too. Kind of big for just one person, don't you think?" commented Hyde as he checked out his surroundings.  
  
"Yes, it's big but I need the space. Though I'll be working so much I won't get to spend too much time here but it will be nice to come home to after 12 hour shifts at the hospital." explained Jackie as she began putting dishes away in the cupboards.  
  
Hyde got up from the table and came up behind Jackie, standing too close to her for her comfort. "So do you need any help putting stuff away?"  
  
Jackie turned around, nervous with him standing so close to her. "Steven, look, I have a lot to do. I'm sure you have better things to do then help me unpack." "Jackie, Can't we at least try to be friends, though I'll tell you now I want a lot more than that from you. I'm not even going to pretend otherwise."  
  
"Steven, I really don't think it's a good idea. Some things are just better left in the past." replied Jackie, scared where this conversation was leading.  
  
"Damn it Jackie, I made a huge mistake. I'm sorry, sorrier than you'll ever know. God knows I've paid for it. I think we both paid for it. But don't you think we've paid enough? Not a day goes by that I haven't thought about you and what we could have had if I had just trusted you." said Hyde regretfully.  
  
"Steven, yes we both paid, some of us more than others. We're both very different people now. I'm not that same idealistic trusting idiot you once knew. I just don't think it would work to try to re-vive something that was never meant to be in the first place." replied Jackie agitatedly.  
  
She started to walk away so they wouldn't be standing so close but he pulled her around into his arms. He stared deep into her eyes before finally saying "Not meant to be? Keep telling yourself that Jackie, maybe you'll start to believe it. I think we both know better."  
  
She started to pull out of his grasp but he held her tightly and brought his mouth down on hers passionately. The kiss went on for what seemed like an eternity before Jackie finally jerked out of his arms and turned her back to him and shakily said "I think you should leave."  
  
Hyde let out an exasperated breath. He knew he had his work cut out for him. He knew all about walls and found it extremely ironic that he was the one who was going to have to break down her walls if they were going to be together again. It had always been the other way around with them in the past. But lies, betrayal, pain, and time had changed that.  
  
He started to walk out but hesitated before turning around to face her. "I'm leaving, but I'll be back later. We've got a second chance to get back what we lost and I'm not going to let you throw it away." He didn't give her a chance to respond as he quickly went out the way he came in.  
  
Jackie stood in the kitchen, very shaken up from Hyde's unexpected visit. She took a seat at the kitchen table as her legs were beginning to feel like they would go out from under her any minute. This was so not the Steven she had known before. The Steven she had known would never have talked openly about their past problems, let alone his feelings. She had thought if she pushed him away enough times he would take the hint and leave her alone, apparently he had no intentions of leaving her alone anytime soon. She didn't know how much longer she could force herself to keep him at a distance. She hated herself for letting him still have this much of an effect on her.  
  
LATER THAT NIGHT...  
  
Hyde arrived at Eric and Donna's around 7:00. They had invited him over for dinner. Usually Hyde was fairly talkative while they ate but tonight he was unusually quiet.  
  
"Hyde, what's the matter with you tonight? You've hardly said two words since you got here." enquired Eric, concerned about his friend's unusual behavior though he had a feeling he knew what it was.  
  
"I went and saw Jackie at her new place today." said Hyde matter-of-factly.  
  
Donna let out a breath of annoyed exasperation. Hyde looked at Donna with an irritated expression. He was aggravated with her attitude towards him where Jackie was concerned. "What's your problem Donna?"  
  
"Nothing, I just don't understand why you can't leave her alone. She's been through enough lately with her mom dying and her break up with Aaron. I just think you should back off." said Donna warningly.  
  
"Donna, why don't you mind your own business! For the last 6 years all I've done is think about her, miss her, and hate myself for ruining the best thing that ever happened to me. I finally have a chance to fix all that so I'm not going to just sit back and wait for someone else to steal what should be mine!"  
  
"Oh for Gods sake Hyde, Do you have any idea what you did to her? Do you? Do you think all you have to do is snap your fingers and things will be the way they were? It doesn't work that way. When I think about all the hell she went through that night and afterwards because of you it makes me sick."  
  
"You know Donna, you've insinuated a lot of shit over the last few years but you've never had the balls to just come out and say what your problem is. So why don't you just do us both a big favor and say what you've been dying to say."  
  
"I can't."  
  
"Why not?!"  
  
"Because I promised her I wouldn't"  
  
Hyde looked at Donna incredulously. "Promised her what?"  
  
"I can't tell you!"  
  
"You tell me right now!" demanded Hyde angrily.  
  
Donna exploded with anger "Fine, The night you broke her heart by accusing her of fucking Kelso behind your back she miscarried your baby, you bastard!"  
  
Hyde stared at Donna for minutes in absolute shock. As was Eric because this was news to him also. Donna was in astonished also, not believing that in a moment of rage, she had exposed her best friend's secret that she had sworn to take to the grave.  
  
Hyde stormed out, hurt and shock written over every inch of his face.  
  
Before Donna had a chance to stop him Hyde was in his car and headed towards Jackie's house. 


	5. Chapter 5

After many hours of unpacking, cleaning, and getting things the way she wanted them Jackie was exhausted and laid down on her brand new couch to take a nap. After a few minutes she drifted off to sleep.  
  
Suddenly Jackie awoke to someone loudly pounding on her front door. She groggily stumbled over to look out her window to see Steven pounding on her door frantically.  
  
"What the hell?" she said out loud to herself.  
  
Hesitantly she opened the door. Steven stared at her with the most haunted, wounded expression she had ever seen. "Steven, what's the matter with you? What are you trying to do, disturb the whole neighborhood?"  
  
Hyde stared at Jackie, unsure of where to start, still in disbelief from Donna's revelation. Instead of answering her he pushed his way into the house, not waiting to be invited in. He grabbed her hand and led her over to the couch. "I just want to know, is it true?" Hyde demanded as he looked searchingly into her eyes.  
  
Hyde's behavior was really beginning to scare Jackie. It suddenly occurred to her. Only one thing could have him this rattled. "Steven, Is what true? What are you talking about?" asked Jackie, afraid she already knew the answer.  
  
"I talked to Donna. I know. How come you never told me you were pregnant?!" Hyde demanded, with hurt evident in his voice.  
  
Jackie turned away from him but he put one hand on her shoulder and another hand on her chin to make her look at him. "Jackie? Tell me the truth now. I want to know."  
  
Jackie expelled a shaky breathe and looked down at her hands. "I didn't know"  
  
Hyde looked at her in confusion "What do you mean you didn't know?"  
  
"Steven, I didn't know I was pregnant until it was too late. After I left our house I went to Donna's. I started having these terrible cramping pains. I didn't know what was wrong with me. I stood up and realized that I was bleeding and then Donna drove me to the hospital. Later on they told me that I'd had a miscarriage." explained Jackie tearfully, remembering that terrifying night so long ago.  
  
Hyde put his head down in shame. "It was all my fault wasn't it?. If we hadn't of had that fight you wouldn't have lost our baby." he whispered dejectedly.  
  
"Steven, Listen to me. For a long time I blamed you. But it wasn't your fault. It wasn't anyone's fault. Look, I'm a nurse. Miscarriages are not caused by stress. They happen because something is wrong with the baby. It's nature's way of correcting itself. Steven, even if we hadn't of had that fight and broken up I still would have probably lost the baby later anyway."  
  
Hyde pulled her into his arms and for once she didn't fight him. He whispered in her ear "I'm so sorry Jackie. I wish I could have been there for you."  
  
"Me too, me too" Jackie whispered sadly, with a few stray tears running down her cheeks. "It just wasn't mean to be"  
  
A few minutes later she pulled away from Hyde and wiped her eyes. They sat in awkward silence, neither of them really knowing what to say to the other.  
  
"I still love you" Hyde blurted out, not knowing what else to say.  
  
Jackie stood up and walked over to the window. Hyde quickly followed her and stood behind her and pulled her close to him with his hand holding her hip possessively. "I mean it Jackie, I still love you. I never stopped." he whispered.  
  
"Stop it Steven, I don't want to hear it!" said Jackie as she angrily tore out of his grasp. "It's too late for us, ok. Too much has happened and we can't go back and undo it."  
  
Hyde stared at Jackie in angry disbelief. "You know what, Jackie? You're a coward. You're so busy dwelling on the past that you're cheating yourself out of the future. I love you, whether you believe it or not. You are all I think about. I'm not giving up on you. Don't ask me to because I won't."  
  
"Steven, please just leave me alone." whispered Jackie half-heartedly.  
  
He walked towards her until their faces were only a breath apart. "No" Hyde wrapped his arms around her tightly and kissed her long and hard on the lips. Jackie's willpower to fight Hyde had finally run out. They drank from each other's lips like their lives depended on it. They couldn't get close enough to each other. Suddenly Hyde whispered "Where's your bedroom?"  
  
Jackie sighed, no longer having the strength to deny herself what she so badly needed and craved. She pointed to the last door down the hall. He slowly led her to her bedroom, his eyes never leaving hers. Her bedroom was dark and they didn't bother turning on the lights. Jackie leaned down on the bed and pushed some clothes and a small box on to the floor to make room for them. He pushed her back towards the pillows and got on top of her slowly, careful not to rest all of his weight on her. They frantically made love. Clothes were torn off, not caring if they were ripped or still had buttons intact. Afterwards they clung to each other, still sweaty from their exertions. Jackie began to cry silently in Hyde's arms. He looked at her with concern and wiped them away. "What's wrong, baby?" he whispered.  
  
"Nothing, I just forgot how wonderful it was." Jackie whispered, feeling like she had gotten a missing piece of herself back. Sex with Aaron had never even compared to how it was with Steven because she had always held part of herself back. Hyde pulled her closer to him. It had never been like this for him with anyone else either. It had always been mechanical, lacking passion and any real feeling. They lay in each others arms feeling like they'd finally come home. They made love once again and then finally drifted off to sleep.  
  
***Please read and review.*** 


	6. Chapter 6

Authors Note: Thanks to everybody who has review this story. I'll be working on a sequel in the next few days. So stay tuned for the continuing saga of Jackie & Hyde(lol!)  
  
Thanks! 


End file.
